Wall-supporting device for trenches.



W. Z. LAUGHTERBAGK. WALL SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR TRENGHES. APPIIIIIIIIIIIIII 0v. 2' 55555 7.

909,808. Paten ted Jan. 12, 1909.

WIT].

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM Z. LAUGHTERBAOK, OF SOUTH OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECTAND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN D. COOK, OF SOUTH OMAHA,NEBRASKA,

AND ONE-THIRD TO M. JOSEPH DONLAN.

WALL-SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR TRENCHES.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM Z. LAUGI-I 'IERBACK, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at South Omaha, in the county of Douglas andState of Nebraska, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements inall-Supporting Devices for Trenches, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in wall-supporting device fortrenches, used for the purpose of preventing the caving or fallinginwardly of the walls of a sewer or trench when excavated in a spongy orsoft soil.

Trenches of considerable depth are often prepared in soft ground forlaying sewer or other pipe, and various means for bracing the walls havebeen used to prevent accident, and in many instances it is hazardous forworkmen to enter the trench to make an adjustment of the braces.

The object of the present invention is to provide convenient andreliable means for bracing or supporting the walls of a trench which maybe manually operated, when desired, exteriorly of the excavation, andcon sists of a series of spreaders which make contact supportingly withthe trench walls at any desired altitude. v

The invention includes the use of a spreading-bar or shaft havingreversely threaded end-portions and apertured transversely at itslongitudinal center, used in connection with contact-blocks formed assleeves having threaded parts to register with the threaded ends of thespreading-shaft, and provided with handle members so that the device maybe lowered by means of ropes to any desired altitude, and the use of anangularly bent hand-bar or turning-bar for conveniently rotating theshaft.

The invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts asdescribed herein, pointed out by the appended claims, and illustrated inthe drawing, wherein,

Figure 1, is a broken away, sectional view of the walls and bottom of atrench, with my invention placed in operative position, one of thecontact-blocks being in section. Fig. 2 is a broken away view of thehand-bar, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the apertured spreading-baror shaft sectioned at its middle.

Referring now to the drawing, numeral 1 indicates the bottom, 2 the topand numerals Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 25, 1907.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Serial No. 403,678.

3 indicate the sides or earth-walls of the trench 20, the height of theWalls named being immaterial. For purposes of the invention I constructa spreading-bar 4: provided with reversely threaded end-portions 5 and6, and having a blank center 7 preferably of greater diameter than theend-portions, the center portion having apertures 8 formed transverselytherein. Contact-blocks 9 and 10 are formed as sleeves, and their wallsare tapered from their outer or contact-ends 11 to their inner ends 12but have, substantially, a uniform thickness, and on account of thisconstruction, openings or recesses 13 are formed at their outer ends;blocks 9 and 10 are provided with the threaded inner walls 14 throughouta part of their lengths to register with the reversely-formed threadedends 5 and 6, respectively, of spreading-bar 4.

For the purpose of adjusting the device exteriorly of the trench, handlemembers 15 are formed upon each contact-block, and any flexible members,as ropes 16 may be employed, secured upon the handles for the purpose oflowering the spreader wlth n, and for its control to position itcrosswise of, the trench.

In operation, timbers or plank 17, for use as bearing-plates, are firstlowered by any convenient means to that part or parts of the walls to bebraced, and the device is then lowered and adjusted by means of ropes16; and by use of the hand-bar 18, which is mserted in apertures 8 ofthe spreading-bar, the latter may be rotated to cause the contact-blocksto move outwardly withgreat force in a manner to press and hold theplank against walls 3, projections 21, formed upon the ends of thecontact-blocks, making engagement with timbers 17, to prevent sliding.The turning-bar or hand-bar 18 is provided with an angular end-part 19for insertion within apertures 8, and by means of which thespreading-bar may be rotated wit-h facility exteriorly of the trench,since the angular end of the bar, by giving the latter a half-turn, canbe placed in the uppermost aperture.

It will be noted that the formation of recesses 13 of the contact-blocksaiford a bellshaped or broad surface for the outer ends of said blocks,and this is a desired construction, as it prevents breaking or splittingof the plank, and is a saving of material composing the contact-blocks.I The blank 7 has a greater diameter than the end-portions of thespreading-bar and is formed as a hub, to counteract the weakening eflectcaused by apertures 8 formed therein, and to afford where the soil issoft, for avoiding personal injuries; it may be employed, however, andoperated by workmen within the trench on many occasions, as is obvious,when the Walls of the trench are firm, as when undermining or enlargingthe bottom of a "trench, and the ropes may then be dispensed with, andany ordinary, straight turning-bar may then be employed for rotating thespreading-bar.

' hat I claim as my invention is,

1. In a wall supporting device for trenches, the combination with hollowcontact blocks, the rear ends of which are reversely threaded and thefront ends of which flare outwardly to cause the front face of thecontact blocks to present a ring-like surface, of a spreading bar formedwith an enlargement having transverse apertures therein midway a betweenits ends, the ends of said spreading bar being reversely threaded andentering the rear ends of the contact blocks, and flexible membersconnected to each of the contact blocks for lowering the entire deviceinto a trench and supporting it in a hO'ri-V zontal plane.

2. In a wall supporting device for trenches,

the combination with hollow contact blocks, the rear ends of which arereversely threaded and the front ends of which flare outblocks topresent a ring-like surface, of a spreading bar formed with anenlargement having transverse apertures therein midway bar beingreversely threaded and entering the rear ends of the contact blocks, andflexible members connected to the wall suppor ing device for lowering itinto a trench.

3. In'a'wall supporting device for trenches, the combination with hollowcontact blocks, the rear ends of which are reversely threaded and thefront ends of which flare outwardly to cause the front face of thecontact blocks to present a ring-like surface, of a spreading bar formedwith an enlargement having transverse apertures therein midway betweenits ends, the ends of said spreading bar being reversely threaded andentering the rear ends of the contact blocks, a plurality of barbsformed upon the ring-like face of the contact blocks, and bowedlongitudinally extending members integral with said contact blocks andadapted to have flexible lowering devices secured thereto.

mar

W'itnesses HIRAM A. STU-RGES, S. I. GORDON.

wardly to cause the front face of the contact a In testimony whereof Ihave aflixed my between its ends, the ends of said spreading V

